CHAPTER VII 

 COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS 



THE chief difference between American agriculture 

 and that which preceded it in California lies in the 

 fact that the Spaniards had one sublime earthly pur- 

 pose in their entrance on this territory, to Christian- 

 ize the pagan aborigines and fit them for civilized 

 use of the vast country of which their ownership was 

 recognized. In the undertaking to keep the land for 

 them and to fit them for development into national 

 existence as a new gem for the crown of Spain, it 

 seemed desirable to keep them free from contact 

 with the outside world. Plans for colonization with 

 white people were urged on the crown but were not 

 approved, either because isolation of the savages 

 with the means of regeneration was held to be essen- 

 tial or because funds were not available to promote 

 colonization. The result was that trade was pro- 

 hibited except as the mission padres conducted it and 

 intrusion of foreigners was unwelcome, although hos- 

 pitality to those who did gain access was generous 

 and genuine. During the Mexican regime the earlier 

 conceptions of service to the aborigines were largely 

 abandoned and restrictions on trade and access of 

 foreigners relaxed. However, agriculture had little 



285 



